Final answer:
After Empress Wu Zetian's death, the Tang dynasty experienced a period of unrest and rebellion, not a peaceful transition to female rule. Confucian scholars took on important government roles, and the dynasty continued for another 150 years, despite the eventual weakening of centralized power.
Step-by-step explanation:
After Wu Zhao's (also known as Empress Wu Zetian) death, the Tang dynasty saw significant changes. Although Wu Zhao had held significant power and briefly founded her own dynasty, resistance to her rule ultimately led to her abdication. Following her abdication, the Tang dynasty was restored, but it was not a peaceful transition to another female ruler. Instead, her death led to rebellions and challenges to the centralized power that she had established. However, the Tang period is still remembered as a golden age for women in China due to the increased prominence they experienced during this time.
The Confucian curriculum that Wu Zhao had promoted through the civil service examinations continued to gain importance post-her reign, and Confucian scholars were indeed appointed to powerful government positions. Civil authority to some extent was ceded to provincial warlords after the tumultuous period of the An Lushan rebellion, but the Tang dynasty persisted for another century and a half with the economy witnessing development despite the central government’s weakened state.